A-Z Blogging Challenge - The letter E is for East Dunkirk or Oostduinkerke!

In 2017, there was a challenge. I heard about it from jillballau blog and more information can be found out about it on the A-Z Blogging Challenge (which was at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/) page itself. However, as I was testing links I found the A-Z Blogging Challenge link is no longer working *frown*

Many people had done this challenge in April 2017, but I’m a rebel and do things when I have time, so I’ll do mine now. I’ve been working on it over many days, and was hoping to get it all done before posting BUT it’s taking me a lot longer than I expected. I’ll do a few posts now and work on the rest. I know I have about ½ of this challenge done in draft format, so not too bad.  J

What can I say – I’m an original. So, here I go…

The letter E is for East Dunkirk (Loones)!

We are looking at this part of Belgium

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When we zoom in we are talking about this part of the red part above (also called West Flanders). 

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East Dunkirk can be translated to Duinkerke and then in the 13^th century it had the beginning added to what is now called Oostduinkerke.  Oostduinkerke is a place in West Flanders, Belgium.  My great grandfather on my mother’s side comes from the West Flanders region.

I have a 2nd cousin 2x removed cousin that’s known for living there. How?

I've made this chart up in 2017 which shows how we're connected. She's a grandchild of Honrore.
Copyright Jo Ann Fitzgerald.
You can also see more here

Honoré Loones became an hotelier in a place called the Grand Hotel Gauquié or Hotel Gauquié in Oostduinkerke. Then in 1942 he became the mayor of Oostduinkerke, Belgium. The hotel was demolished in 2001 and another building was put in its place.

Part of the Gauquie Hotel before it was torn down in 2001.
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Anyhow, after World War 2, he was succeeded for Mayor. He was then called to justify actions he did and ended up imprisoned. It was supposed to be for one year. However he was let go after two years and if that wasn’t enough, his civil rights were taken away for 20 years. This made sure he could no longer fulfill his political role.

The outside of Gauquie Hotel.
Credit from Loones Blog

As if the political party doing this would stop our family. During the 1952 elections, his wife, Rosette Dewitte, conquered the seats needed and was appointed Mayor – the same position her husband had been in 10 years earlier. She was also the first female Mayor for the area. She held this office until 1964 when she became the new mayor’s private secretary.

Then in 1964, he listed himself in the race for mayor and was Mayor once again where he served for 2 more terms. Then this area merged with others in 1977. Twenty years later Loones was then given the title of bad mayor for some reason. It’s thought with him leaving political life, it was the end of the war era for the area.

Honore died in 1981. Rosa Dewitte died in 2011.

Rosa Dewitte
Credit from Loones Blog

Honore is also the founder of the National Fisheries Museum or Vrienden Nationaal Visserijmuseum Oostduinkerke.

The Plaque they put on the Museum.
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